Expansion support platform for tenter machine guide rail sections

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to a platform for supporting adjacent pivotally connected guide rail section ends which expand and contract due to heating and cooling and also more toward and away from each other under the influence of saddle adjustment. This invention relates to a platform for supporting the ends of pivotally connected tenter clip guide rail sections as adjustment of the saddle places the ends in angular relationship or as expansion and contraction of adjacent guide rail sections causes the opposite ends thereof to move toward or away from each other.

United States Patent Inventor William Tomlinson East Providence, R.I.Appl. No. 793,817 Filed Jan. 24, 1969 Patented Mar. 23, 1971 AssigneeBevis Industries, Inc.

Providence, RI.

EXPANSION SUPPORT PLATFORM FOR TENTER 3,179,977 4/1965 Nash ..l

Primary Examiner-J. Spencer Overholser Assistant Examiner-David S.Safran Attorney-William Frederick Werner ABSTRACT: This disclosurerelates to a platform for support- 2 3 m? St m 29" SECTIONS ing adjacentpivotally connected guide rail section ends which expand and contractdue to heating and cooling and also more us. Cl 18/1 toward and awayfrom each other under the influence of sad- B29g 7/00 dle adjustment.Thisinvention relates -to afplatform .for Fieldoi Search 18/1 (FB)supporting the ends of pivotally connected tenter clip guide railsections as adjustrnent of the saddle places the ends in ReferencesCited angular relationship or as expansion and contraction o f a dUNITED STATES PATENTS jacent guide rail sections causes the oppositeends thereof 7 3,179,976 4/1965 Nash 18/ 1 to ov w r or way from eachother.

a M EA f iua fl 5c 9 aw v v II I 37 2 72 E 2/5 82 L /7 3 474 lm o 0 I760 o I 3 13/4 I656 496 66 o 0 38A 5 q I n n n M in than I I /4 9? /4A ,45x-ic 2 l 22 224 2 2 c i -i;

PATENTEDMAR23I9Y:

SHEH 1 OF A INVENTOR WILLIAM TOMLlNSON ATTORNEY PATENTED MAR23 197:

SHEET 2 [IF 4 INVENTOR WlLLlAM TOMLINSON TORNEY PATENTED M19123 l97|3,571, 45

SHEET 3 0F 4 INVENTOR WILLIAM TOMLINSON F i G. 6 ATTORNEY PATENT EDNA23|97| 3,571,846 sum UF 4 INVENTOR WILLIAM TOMLINSON BY JIM 54M flaw)ATTORNEY EXPANSHQN @UMPORT PLATFORM lFGR TENTER MACHIINE GlJlllDlE EARLSECTHONS in the past tenter machines had a commercial length of between60 and 80 feet. in this distance the hinge pin, pivotally connectingadjacent ends of oppositely located guide rail sections, moved a lineardistance of approximately 8 inches. The saddle,adjustably supporting thehinge pin and opposite ends of two guide rail sections, was wide enoughto support the guide rail ends at the maximum angle adjustment betweenthe ends of two guide rail sections. The saddle was also wide enough toaccommodate the 8-inch linear movement of the hinge pin, movable due tothe thermal expansion and contraction of adjacent guide rail sections.

With the advent of laterally stretching plastic film, to reduce themedial thickness of the film, tenter machines are built in excess of 120feet long and the angular relation of adjacent ends of guide railsections has increased in order to provide a stretching zone dictated bythe physical characteristics of the plastic film. The stretching zone isthe complementary contour of oppositely located guide rail sectionsformed inthe tenter machine. The movement of the hinge pin exceeds 21inches. A saddle to accommodate increased movement of the hinge pin andincreased angularity of adjacent guide rail section ends would have tobe larger than is commercially practicable.

Applicant has solved the problem of supporting adjacent ends of guiderail sections in both longitudinal movement and angular lateral movementby providing telescoping slide plates. The lower plate is slidablysupported upon the saddle. The upper slide plate is slidably supportedupon the lower slide plate and supports the hinge pin and ends ofadjacent guide rail sections at maximum angular relation while providinga smooth guide rail path for the travel of the tenter clip chain throughthe multiple guide rail sections.

A tenter guide rail path must be smooth. if a jar is imparted to atenter clip, the plastic film, in heat-softened condition, is renderedeconomically useless.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide aplatform for supporting pivotally connected adjacent guide rail sectionends upon a saddle, whereby, saddle adjustment of the hinge pin findssupport for the hinge pin and adjacent guide rail section ends in thetelescoping slide plates forming the platform.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a support for thehinge pin and adjacent pivotally connected ends of guide rail sections,wherein the maximum angularity between adjacent guide rail section endsare supported to provide a smooth tenter clip path at the juncture ofadjacent guide rail sections.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent inpart andbe pointed out in part in the following specification and claims. I

Referring to the drawings in which similar characters of referenceindicate corresponding parts:

FlG. l is a plan view of a tenter machine in accordance with the presentinvention.

H6. 2 is a right sidefelevational view,

a partly in section, taken along line 2 2 of l lG. ll.

l-"lG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view, partly in section,

of the saddle, a guide rail section, and the telescoping slide platesconstituting the platform, with the guide rail shown at maximum angle tothe saddle.

FlG. d is a view similar to FlG. 3, showing the guide rail sectionperpendicular to the saddle, at maximum heat expanded position.

PEG. 5 is a perspective exploded view of the several parts constitutingthe new and improved platform.

MG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view talten along line 6-6 of FllG.t.

HG. 7 is a view, similar to FIG. 5, illustrating a modified form ofstructure constituting a platform for tenter machine guide rail sectionends.

HO. 3 is a view, similar to FIG. 6, illustrating the modified structureshown in FlG. 7, in relation to the saddle of a tenter machine.

FlG. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 9-9 of FIG. 1, withthe rail structure left off.

in proceeding with this invention, reference is made to the drawings,wherein is illustrated a tenter machine, in accordance with the presentinvention.

The machine illustrated, see FIGS ll, 2 and 9, consists of a left sideframe if and a rightside frame l2 which are in the form of l-beams.

A plurality of legs or standards 13 are fixed to left and right sideframes ill and 12, respectively as by welding, to support said framesll, 112 at a preselected distance above a floor.

A plurality of crossmembers B7, 17A, 17B, ll7C, etc., are fastened, bymeans of welding, to left side frame ill at 15, 15A, 153, etc., and toright side frame 12 at 14, MA, MB, etc.

Each crossmember 17, 17A, 173, etc., is machine finished to provide atrack consisting of a top 30 and opposite sides 31, 32, for purposeswhich will presently appear.

A plurality of bearings, 18, 18A, 188, MC, etc., are adapted to engagetops 30, 30A, 308, etc., respectively, and grip opposite sides 31, 32;31A, 32A, 31B, 328; etc., respectively, over left side frame ll. Bolts20 fasten bearings l3, l8A, 188, etc., to crossmembers l7, l7A, 1178,etc., respectively. A corresponding plurality of bearings 19, 19A, 198,etc., are adapted to engage tops 30, 30A, 308, etc., respectively, andgrip opposite sides 31, 32; 31A, 32A; 31B, 328, etc., respectively, overright side frame l2. Bolts 9 fasten bearings 19, 19A, 198, etc., tocrossmembers l7, ll7A, l7B, etc., respectively.

A plurality of center bearings 24, 24A, 24B, etc., engage crossmembers117, WA, 178, etc., respectively, in a manner described for bearings 18and i9. Bolts 33 fasten bearings 24, 24A, 248, etc., respectively, tocrossmembers l7, 17A, 178 etc., respectively.

A plurality of shafts 21, 21A, ZllB, etc., are provided with bearingsurfaces 345, 35, 36, which are rotatively mounted in bearings l8, l9and 24, respectively. Shafts Zll, 21A, 218 etc. are provided with aright hand thread 31%, 38A, 388, etc., respectively, for purposes whichwill presently appear.

A plurality of hand wheels 22, 22A, 228, etc., are fastened to one endof shafts 21, 21A, 218 etc., respectively, for the manual rotationthereof.

A plurality of saddles db, 40A, 408, etc., are provided with slidingfaces ill, MA, MB, etc., and sliding ends 42, 43; 42A, 43A; 42B, 438,etc., respectively, to slidingly engage tops 30, 36 A, 308, etc., andslides 31, 32, etc., respectively.

The construction of saddle 40 will be described. lt will be understoodthat saddles WA, 40B, 40C, etc., are identical in construction.

Saddle 490 is provided with a plurality of inverted U-shaped projections50, 51,54 and 55 which form chambers 56, 57 and 6th inverted U-shapedprojections $0, 5t, 54, 55 straddle shaft 2i to allow shaft 21 to freelyrotate. A nut bl provided with a screw thread of a hand adapted torotatively engage left hand thread 38 is located in chamber 56 and isheld therein by means of inverted U-shaped projections 50, 51.

Rotation of hand wheel 22 causes nut bl to engage either invertedUshaped projection 56 or St to slide saddle 40 upon crossmember l7toward or away from bearing H9.

The conventional construction of a tenter machine has just beendescribed. The new and improved construction will now be described.

A block lllil is fastened to the medial area of saddle M), as bywelding. A lower plate 101 is provided with a recess, generallyindicated by reference numeral 99, formed by means of sides N2, 503 andbottom Mid, and an opening M35 having sides 1%. Lower plate ltll,through lower sliding surface 167, is slidably mounted upon bearingsurface lltlti of saddle til, with opening 105, through sides we,slidably engaging the sides lltlilA and ltlllB of block ltlil. OpeningW5 is therefore longer in a longitudinal direction, so as to allow lowerplate lilll to slide longitudinally relative to saddle at).

A batten plate 110 is located in recess 99 and engages bottom 104 andthe sides 102, 103 slidably engage the sides of batten plate 110. Battenplate 110 is fastened to block 100 by means of screws 111.

Two rectangular projections 112, 113 are fastened to lower plate 101, asby means of welding.

An upper slide plate 115 is provided with arched central portion 116having a raised pad 117 and upper side areas 118 and 119. The lowersurface 120 of arched central portion 116 provides clearance for thesliding movement of upper slide plate 115 over batten plate 110. Lowerside areas 121 and 122 of plate 115 slidably engage lower plate 101. Twoparallel longitudinal slots 124, 125 are provided in plate 115 so as toslidably engage, respectively, projections 112 and 113.

Two straps 127 and 128 overlie, respectively, slots 124 and 125. Straps127, 128 are fastened, respectively, to projections 112, 113 as by meansof screws 130.

A hinge pin 131 is fastened in raised pad 117 as by means of a drive fitor welding or the like.

ln this manner, the lower plate 101 and theupper plate 115 constitute anintermediate member between the saddle 40 and the adjacent guide railsection ends, whereby the ends are pivotally connected and supported insliding movement by the intermediate member.

A plurality of rail members 65, 65A, 65B, 65C, etc., are provided withtenter clip tracks or paths 66, 67; 66A, 67A; 66B, 678, etc.,respectively, and pivotal recesses 68, 68A, 683, etc., respectively, onone end and pivotal tongues 70, 70A, 70B, etc., respectively, on theopposite end. Pivotal tongues 70, 70A, 708, etc., are adapted topivotally engage hinge pins 131, 131A, 1318, etc., respectively, and liein the respective pivotal recess. In this manner a continuous left sideand a continuous right side rail member is provided as generallyindicated by reference characters 72, 73, respectively. It will beobserved that guide rail members 65, 65A, 65B, etc., are provided withprojections 75, 76 which have, respectively, sliding weight-carryingsurfaces 75A, 76A supported upon upper plate 115.

FIG. 1 shows that the straight guide rail members or sections at thesheet or web receiving region and at the sheetdischarging region generaluse-con stitute one or more individual straight guide rail sections of alength normally greater than the length of the intermediate divergentstraight guide rail sections.

The plurality of pivotally connected or hinged guide rail sectionsprovide an infinite variety of curves. However, to types of curves arein general use -the hour glass, a reverse curve of equal and oppositecontours, or the milk bottle contour curve, narrow at the neck andwidening out. In either curve, sliding weight-carrying surfaces, 75A,76A must be supported. As can be seen in FIG. 3, sliding weight-carryingsurface 76A, at the angle shown, lies beyond a vertical plane Z parallelto the side of saddle 40 so that bearing surface 108 is unable tosupport sliding surface 76A in the absence of upper and lower slidingplates 101 and 115.

FlGS. 7 and 8, illustrate a modified form of intermediate plateconstruction. The crossmember 17, the shaft 21, saddle 40, nut 61, areall constructed as previously described, with the exception of block100. in F108. 7 and 8 block 100A is fastened to or integrally formed aspart of saddle 40. Block 100A is provided with dovetail grooves 150,151.

An intermediate plate generally indicated by reference numeral 160 isprovided with companion dovetail grooves 152, 153, and side areas 154,155 and a bottom surface 156.

lnterrnediate plate 160 is slidably mounted upon saddle 40 with bottomsurface 156 slidably engaging bearing surface 108 and with dovetailgrooves 150, 152 and 151, 153, respectively, in sliding relationship toretain plate 160 upon saddle 40.

Hinge pin 131 is fastened in intermediate plate 160 for the purpose ofpivotally connecting the adjacent ends of guide rail sections aspreviously described.

End caps 157 and 158 fastened to plate 160 as by screws 159 may beprovided to limit the relative movement of intermediate plate 160 uponblock 100A.

in FIG. 1, there is fragmentarily illustrated portions of tenter clipchains and 81 constituting tenter clips 82 pivotally connected together.The tenter clip chains 80, 81 rotate in tenter clip tracks 66, 67,respectively.

The tenter machine is provided with two driving sprockets 170, 171 andtwo driven sprockets 176, 177. Tenter chain 81 is operatively connectedto sprockets 170, 171. Tcnter chain 80 is operatively connected tosprockets 171, 177. Tentering chains 80, 81 rotate in'the direction ofarrows A" and respectively.

In operation the rotation of tenter chains 80, 81 in tenter clip tracks66, 67, respectively, carry the web to be stretched from thesheet-receiving region of the tenter machine between sprockets 176, 177to the delivery end or sheet-discharging region of the tenter machinebetween sprockets 170, 171.

Rotation of hand wheels 22, 22A, 228, etc., cause the respective saddles40, 40A, 408, etc., to slide upon crossmembers 17, 17A, 178, etc.,whereby the rail members 65, 65A, 65B, etc., and their tenter cliptracks 66, 67; 66A, 67A; 66B, 678, etc., are moved in relation one tothe other to provide a preselected path of movement for the respectiveclip chains 80, 81. That preselected path is under very close toleranceadjustment due to threads 37, 38; 37A, 37B, etc., on shafts 21, 21A,etc,

The movement, induced by the turning of the hand wheels 22, 22A, etc.,acting through the sliding movement of the saddle 40 on the crossmember17, changes the relative position of the hinge pin 131 in relation tothe screw thread 38 in both lateral and longitudinal positions. In orderto accommodate the changing relative position of the hinge pin, andconsequently of the guide rail section ends pivotally connected to thehinge pin, there is now provided an intermediate plate 160 in themodified form illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 or plates 101, (shown inFIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6) slidably mounted for telescoping support upon thesaddle 40 and in turn supporting the guide rail section ends, as slideplates 101, 105 change relative position.

Having shown and described preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, by way of example, it should be realized that structuralchanges could be made and other examples given without departing fromeither the spirit or scope of this invention.

lclaim:

1. An expansion support platform for tenter machine guide rail sectionscomprising a frame, a plurality of crossmembers secured to said frame, aplurality of bearings, three for each crossmember, fastened to the endsand the center of each crossmember, a plurality of shafts, one for eachcrossmember, each shaft having a right-hand threaded section, aleft-hand thread section, and a medial bearing area, said shaftsrotatively mounted in said plurality of bearings with said medialbearing area located in the bearing fastened to the center of thecrossmember, a plurality of hand wheels, means fastening a hand wheel toeach of said plurality of shafts, a plurality of saddles, each saddlehaving a medially located block, two saddles for each crossmember, aplurality of nuts, one for each saddle, a nut secured in each saddle,one nut slidably mounting one saddle to a crossmember and to aright-hand thread section, another nut secured in another saddleslidably mounting the last-mentioned saddle to the last-mentionedcrossmember and to the left-hand thread section of the same shaft,whereby rotation of the shaft in one direction draws the saddles towardeach other and rotation of the shaft in an opposite direction separatessaid saddles, a plurality of lower plates, one for each saddle, meansslidably mounting a lower plate to each saddle, a plurality of upperplates, one for each saddle means slidably mounting an upper plate to alower plate, a plurality of hinge pins, one for each upper plate, meansfastening a hinge pin to an upper plate, a plurality of guide railsections, means pivotally mounting the end of one guide rail section tothe end of the adjacent guide rail section through the hinge pin,thereby to support the end of one guide rail section and the end of theadjacent guide rail section upon the upper plate,

whereby, movement of the saddle moves the upper plate in telescopingrelationship with the lower plate and the lower plate in telescopingrelationship with a saddle, thereby to provide two pivotally connectedand supported adjacent longitudinal tenter clip guide rail sections.

2. An expansion support plate form for tenter machine guide railsections comprising a-frarne, a plurality of crossmembers fastened tosaid frame, a plurality of shafts, one for each crossmember, bearingmeans secured to said crossmembers, means secured to said crossmembersrotatively mounting said shafts to said crossmembers, each shaft havinga left-hand thread and a right-hand thread, a plurality of saddles, twofor and the othergroup of saddles being connected to the right handthreads through said nut means, to provide two saddles slidably mountedon each crossmember for movement toward and away from each other throughrotation of the same shaft, a plurality of lower plates, one for eachsaddle, means slidably mounting a lower plate to each saddle, aplurality of upper plates, one vfor each saddle, means slidably mountingan upper plate to a lower plate, a plurality of hinge pins, one for eachupper plate, means fastening a hinge pin to an upper plate, a pluralityof guide rail sections, means pivotally mounting the end of one guiderail section to the end of the adjacent guide rail section through thehinge pin, thereby, to support the end of one guide rail section and theend of the adjacent guide rail section upon the upper plate, whereby,movement of the sad-.

dle moves the upper plate in telescoping relationship with the lowerplate and the lower plate in telescoping relationship with the saddle,to provide twopivotally connected and supported adjacent longitudinaltenter clip guide rail sections.

3. An expansion support platform for tenter machine guide rail sectionsconsisting of a tenter machine having a plurality of crossmembers and aplurality'of saddles, two for each crossmember, means slidably mountingsaid saddles to said crossmembers, a plurality of shafts, onefor eachcrossmember,

each shaft having a left-hand threaded and a right-hand, bearing meansrotatively mounting said shafts to said crossmembers, said saddles beingdivided into two groups, means slidablyeonnecting each saddle in onegroup to the left-hand threads and means slidably connecting each saddlein the other group to the right-hand threads, to provide two saddlesslidably mounted on each crossmember for movement toward and away fromeach other through rotation of the same shaft, a plurality of lowerplates, one for each saddle, means slidably mounting a lower plate toeach saddle, a plurality of upper plates, one for each saddle, meansslidably mounting an upper plate to a lower plate, a plurality of hingepins,-one for each ,upper plate, means fastening a hinge pin to an upperplate, a

plurality of guide rail sections, each guide rail section having atenter clip guide surface, means pivotally connecting adjacent ends ofsaid guide rail sections'to each other through said hinge pins, saidadjacent ends slidingly engaging said upper plates, whereby the tenterclip guidesurfaces form continuous tenter clip paths, the guide railsections comprising straight sections of such length to produce curvedguide paths for tenter clips, said shafts controlling the contour ofsaid paths through said saddles and the relative position of the lowerplates upon the saddles and the relative position of the upper saidrecess, means fast'ening said batten plate to said block. an upper plateprovided with upper side areas, and two parallel longitudinal slots, twoparallel projections provided upon said lower plate, said upper plateslidably mounted upon said lower plate with said two parallelprojections located respectively, in said two parallel longitudinalslots to limit and guide the sliding movement of said upper plate uponsaid lower plate, two straps, means fastening, respectively, said twostraps to said two parallel projections to slidably retain the upperplate in relation to the lower plate, a hinge pin, means fastening saidhinge pin to said upper plate, thereby to pivotally connect ad-..

jacent ends of guide rail sections and to support adjacent ends of guiderail sections upon said upper side areas.

5. An expansion support platform for tenter machine guide rail sectionsconsisting of a tenter machine having a crossmember and a saddle, meansslidably mounting said saddle to said crossmember formovement back andforth across said crossmember, a block provided with two oppositelylocated and parallel grooves having, respectively, parallel guide edges,an intermediate plate having complementary two oppositely located andparallel grooves having, respectively, two parallel guide edges. saidlast mentioned two parallel guide edges slidingly engaging said firstmentioned two oppositely located and parallel grooves and said firstmentioned parallel guide edges slidingly engaging said last mentionedtwo oppositely located and parallel grooves, and a hinge pin, meansfastening said hinge pin to said intermediate plate, thereby topivotally connect adjacent endsof guide-rail sections and to supportadjacent ends of guide rail sections upon an intermediate plate.

6. An expansion support platform for tenter machine guide rail sectionsconsisting of a tenter machine having a plurality of crossmembers and aplurality of saddles two for each crossmember, means slidably mountingsaid saddles to said crossmembers, a plurality of shafts, one for eachcrossmember, each shaft having a left-hand thread and a right-handthread, bearing means rotatively mounting said shafts to saidcrossmembers, said saddles being divided into two groups, means slidablyconnecting each saddle in'one group to the left-hand threads, and meansslidably connecting each saddle in the other group to the right-handthreads, to provide two saddles slidably mounted on each crossmember formovement toward and away from each other through rotation of the sameshaft, a plurality of blocks fastened to said plurality of saddles, oneblock for each saddle, a plurality of intermediate plates, one for eachblock, means slidingly mounting an intermediate plate to a block, aplurality of hinge pins, one for each intermediate plate, meansfastening a hinge pin to an upper plate, a plurality of guide railsections, each guide rail section having a tenter clip track, meanspivotally'connecting adjacent ends of said guide rail sections to eachother through said hinge pins, said adjacent ends slidingly engaging anintermediate plate.

1. An expansion support platform for tenter machine guide rail sectionscomprising a frame, a plurality of crossmembers secured to said frame, aplurality of bearings, three for each crossmember, fastened to the endsand the center of each crossmember, a plurality of shafts, one for eachcrossmember, each shaft having a right-hand threaded section, aleft-hand thread section, and a medial bearing area, said shaftsrotatively mounted in said plurality of bearings with said medialbearing area located in the bearing fastened to the center of thecrossmember, a plurality of hand wheels, means fastening a hand wheel toeach of said plurality of shafts, a plurality of saddles, each saddlehaving a medially located block, two saddles for each crossmember, aplurality of nuts, one for each saddle, a nut secured in each saddle,one nut slidably mounting one saddle to a crossmember and to aright-hand thread section, another nut secured in another saddleslidably mounting the last-mentioned saddle to the last-mentionedcrossmember and to the left-hand thread section of the same shaft,whereby rotation of the shaft in one direction draws the saddles towardeach other and rotation of the shaft in an opposite direction separatessaid saddles, a plurality of lower plates, one for each saddle, meansslidably mounting a lower plate to each saddle, a plurality of upperplates, one for each saddle means slidably mounting an upper plate to alower plate, a plurality of hinge pins, one for each upper plate, meansfastening a hinge pin to an upper plate, a plurality of guide railsections, means pivotally mounting the end of one guide rail section tothe end of the adjacent guide rail section through the hinge pin,thereby to support the end of one guide rail section and the end of theadjacent guide rail section upon the upper plate, whereby, movement ofthe saddle moves the upper plate in telescoping relationship with thelower plate and the lower plate in telescoping relationship with asaddle, thereby to provide two pivotally connected and supportedadjacent longitudinal tenter clip guide rail sections.
 2. An expansionsupport plate form for tenter machine guide rail sections comprising aframe, a plurality of crossmembers fastened to said frame, a pluralityof shafts, one for each crossmember, bearing means secured to saidcrossmembers, means secured to said crossmembers rotatively mountingsaid shafts to said crossmembers, each shaft having a left-hand threadand a right-hand thread, a plurality of saddles, two for eachcrossmember, means slidably mounting said saddles to said crossmembers,nut means provided in each saddle, said saddles divided into two groups,one group of saddles being connected to the left-hand threads throughsaid nut means, and the other group of saddles being connected to theright-hand threads through said nut means, to provide two saddlesslidably mounted on each crossmember for movement toward and away fromeach other through rotation of the same shaft, a plurality of lowerplates, one for each saddle, means slidably mounting a lower plate toeach saddle, a plurality of upper plates, one for each saddle, meansslidably mounting an upper plate to a lower plate, a plurality of hingepins, one for each upper plate, means fastening a hinge pin to an upperplate, a plurality of guide rail sections, means pivotally mounting theend of one guide rail section to the end of the adjacent guide railsection through the hinge pin, thereby, to support the end of one guiderail section and the end of the adjacent guide rail section upon theupper plate, whereby, movement of the saddle moves the upper plate intelescoping relationship with the lower plate and the lower plate intelescoping relationship with the saddle, to provide two pivotallyconnected and supported adjacent longitudinal tenter clip guide railsections.
 3. An expansion support platform for tenter machine guide railsections consisting of a tenter machine having a plurality ofcrossmembers and a plurality of saddles, two for each crossmember, meansslidably mounting said saddles to said crossmembers, a plurality ofshafts, one for each crossmember, each shaft having a left-hand threadedand a right-hand, bearing means rotatively mounting said shafts to saidcrossmembers, said saddles Being divided into two groups, means slidablyconnecting each saddle in one group to the left-hand threads and meansslidably connecting each saddle in the other group to the right-handthreads, to provide two saddles slidably mounted on each crossmember formovement toward and away from each other through rotation of the sameshaft, a plurality of lower plates, one for each saddle, means slidablymounting a lower plate to each saddle, a plurality of upper plates, onefor each saddle, means slidably mounting an upper plate to a lowerplate, a plurality of hinge pins, one for each upper plate, meansfastening a hinge pin to an upper plate, a plurality of guide railsections, each guide rail section having a tenter clip guide surface,means pivotally connecting adjacent ends of said guide rail sections toeach other through said hinge pins, said adjacent ends slidinglyengaging said upper plates, whereby the tenter clip guide surfaces formcontinuous tenter clip paths, the guide rail sections comprisingstraight sections of such length to produce curved guide paths fortenter clips, said shafts controlling the contour of said paths throughsaid saddles and the relative position of the lower plates upon thesaddles and the relative position of the upper plates upon the lowerplates.
 4. An expansion support platform for tenter machine guide railsections consisting of a tenter machine having a crossmember and asaddle, means slidably mounting said saddle to said crossmember formovement back and forth across said crossmember, a block, meansfastening said block to said saddle, a lower plate having a recess andan opening, said lower plate slidably mounted upon said saddle with saidblock located in said opening to guide and limit the movement of saidlower plate upon said saddle, a batten plate, located in said recess,means fastening said batten plate to said block, an upper plate providedwith upper side areas, and two parallel longitudinal slots, two parallelprojections provided upon said lower plate, said upper plate slidablymounted upon said lower plate with said two parallel projections locatedrespectively, in said two parallel longitudinal slots to limit and guidethe sliding movement of said upper plate upon said lower plate, twostraps, means fastening, respectively, said two straps to said twoparallel projections to slidably retain the upper plate in relation tothe lower plate, a hinge pin, means fastening said hinge pin to saidupper plate, thereby to pivotally connect adjacent ends of guide railsections and to support adjacent ends of guide rail sections upon saidupper side areas.
 5. An expansion support platform for tenter machineguide rail sections consisting of a tenter machine having a crossmemberand a saddle, means slidably mounting said saddle to said crossmemberfor movement back and forth across said crossmember, a block providedwith two oppositely located and parallel grooves having, respectively,parallel guide edges, an intermediate plate having complementary twooppositely located and parallel grooves having, respectively, twoparallel guide edges, said last mentioned two parallel guide edgesslidingly engaging said first mentioned two oppositely located andparallel grooves and said first mentioned parallel guide edges slidinglyengaging said last mentioned two oppositely located and parallelgrooves, and a hinge pin, means fastening said hinge pin to saidintermediate plate, thereby to pivotally connect adjacent ends of guiderail sections and to support adjacent ends of guide rail sections uponan intermediate plate.
 6. An expansion support platform for tentermachine guide rail sections consisting of a tenter machine having aplurality of crossmembers and a plurality of saddles two for eachcrossmember, means slidably mounting said saddles to said crossmembers,a plurality of shafts, one for each crossmember, each shaft having aleft-hand thread and a right-hand thread, bearing means rotativelymounting said shafts to said crossmembers, saId saddles being dividedinto two groups, means slidably connecting each saddle in one group tothe left-hand threads, and means slidably connecting each saddle in theother group to the right-hand threads, to provide two saddles slidablymounted on each crossmember for movement toward and away from each otherthrough rotation of the same shaft, a plurality of blocks fastened tosaid plurality of saddles, one block for each saddle, a plurality ofintermediate plates, one for each block, means slidingly mounting anintermediate plate to a block, a plurality of hinge pins, one for eachintermediate plate, means fastening a hinge pin to an upper plate, aplurality of guide rail sections, each guide rail section having atenter clip track, means pivotally connecting adjacent ends of saidguide rail sections to each other through said hinge pins, said adjacentends slidingly engaging an intermediate plate.